March 21, 2008	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 12, 1429

ISLAMABAD, March 20: Pakistan on Thursday successfully conducted a final test flight of its indigenously-developed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, senior military officers and scientists witnessed the test of the Uqaab (eagle).

“The flight data collected indicates that all design parameters have been successfully validated. The performance of the Uqaab can be compared to any state-of-the-art UAV in its category,” says an ISPR announcement.

The test flight was preceded by a series of trials in 2007. The test is a reflection of Pakistan’s technical prowess in the field of UAV technology and a tribute to dedication and professionalism of scientists and engineers.

It also reflects Pakistan’s continued efforts for self-reliance in the defence field and air surveillance.Congratulating scientists and engineers for their outstanding success, the army chief said that they had shown their versatile capabilities by delivering on a new and complex technology.

“This will go a long way in strengthening Pakistan’s defence,” he said.

Defence sources said Pakistan had developed two versions of UAVs and would shortly be inducting an unspecified number of them into service.

The two versions include a tactical version of UAV with the flying range of 150km onwards while the strategic version of the UAV can go up to 350km onwards.

The two state-of-the-art systems can undertake a pre-programmed mission or can be piloted by the Air Vehicle Controller.

The strategic version of the UAV has the capability to adapt to the change of mission during the flight.

It can transmit information and data through ground control station and can even change the flight path, height and speed according to the situation.

Sources said that an unspecified number of UAVs would soon be inducted into service.

UAVs are currently used in a number of military roles, including reconnaissance and attack.

They are also used in a small but growing number of civil applications such as fire-fighting where a human observer would be at risk, police observation of civil disturbances and scenes of crimes and reconnaissance support in natural disasters.

UAVs are often preferred for missions that are too “dull, dirty or dangerous” for manned aircraft.